New Online Calculator Makes it Easier for New Yorkers Collecting Unemployment to Determine Duration of BenefitsBenefit Calculator a Direct Result of Requests from New Yorkers Across the State

Albany, NY (December 03, 2009) - State Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith today announced that there is a new feature on the Labor Department’s website designed to make it easier for Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants to determine the length of time they can receive benefits.
Given the complex nature of the federal extension programs (multiple Tiers with differing timelines), the Department has implemented an online tool to assist the unemployed in gathering information on the total possible number of weeks they may collect UI benefits, based on their initial claim filing date. This online ‘calculator page’ went live on the Labor Department’s website on Friday, November 27 and already there have been more than 50,000 hits on the page.

“With different federal extension programs and different criteria in place for each, there are literally thousands of New Yorkers who are wondering how many weeks of UI benefits they are entitled to,” said Commissioner Smith. “This new on-line tool was developed in-house to alleviate some of the confusion; it is easy to use and enables claimants to find out their length of benefits immediately.”

Commissioner Smith also touted New York’s efforts to get the latest round of UI benefits out quickly to New Yorkers in need. “Anticipating UI legislation at the federal level, Governor Paterson directed the Labor Department to act quickly. As a result, New York was among the first states in the nation to get these important benefits to those who needed it most. As further legislative action could still arise at federal level, such as extending the filing periods for the various extension programs, once again we will be ready. If the calculator needs to be changed, we will do so as needed.”